Fluid Dispenser Weight Roller Crease Prevention

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing fluid dispensers for viscous products in tubular bags face challenges in achieving complete emptying due to uncontrollable crease formation during the emptying process, leading to significant content loss, especially when using metering pumps attached to the bags.

Innovation Solution

A fluid dispenser with position stabilization means for a weight roller, which includes toothed rack guides and a foam sheathing to prevent tilting and allow the weight roller to overcome creases, ensuring complete emptying by maintaining contact with the tubular bag and using a three-point clamping system for optimal tension and inclination.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If a metering pump is attached to the tubular bag for controlled dispensing, then the dispensing precision is improved, but the emptying completeness deteriorates due to crease formation blocking the outlet

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedispensing precisionVSAvoidcontent loss
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSLoss of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The solution segments the emptying function from the metering pump by introducing a separate weight roller mechanism. The metering pump handles controlled dispensing while the weight roller independently manages bag collapse and crease prevention, allowing both functions to operate optimally without interfering with each other

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The weight roller acts as an intermediary element between the bag contents and the metering pump outlet. It mechanically pushes the viscous product toward the outlet and prevents crease formation that would otherwise block the discharge path, enabling complete emptying while maintaining metering accuracy

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Productivity

If the tubular bag is allowed to collapse freely during emptying, then the emptying speed is improved, but the emptying completeness deteriorates due to uncontrollable crease formation

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveemptying speedVSAvoidcontent loss
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSLoss of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The weight roller is pre-positioned to continuously follow and support the bag bottom as it collapses. This preliminary action prevents creases from forming in the first place by maintaining smooth bag walls, ensuring that high-speed emptying does not compromise completeness

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The weight roller is designed to dynamically adapt its position as the bag empties, continuously tracking the collapsing bag bottom. This dynamic adjustment maintains optimal contact pressure throughout the emptying process, preventing creases while preserving high emptying speed

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

3Device complexity

If simple gravity flow is used for emptying, then the device complexity is reduced, but the emptying completeness deteriorates for viscous products

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedevice complexityVSAvoidcontent loss
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSLoss of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The weight roller creates a controlled gravitational field within the bag by its own weight, establishing a pressure gradient that drives viscous product flow toward the outlet. This simple gravitational mechanism achieves complete emptying of viscous products without complex mechanical systems

Inventive Principle:
Principle #12Equipotentiality

Solution Approach 2:

The weight roller utilizes its own weight to generate the necessary pushing force on the bag contents. This self-service mechanism eliminates the need for external motors, pumps, or complex actuation systems, achieving complete emptying with minimal device complexity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

This solution achieves emptying rates of 96% to 98% by stabilizing the weight roller and allowing it to effectively push contents through creases, ensuring nearly complete drainage of the tubular bag contents.

Implementation Method 1

an auxiliary device with which the viscous substances in the tubular bag can be continuously pushed in the direction of use by mechanical pressure on the tubular bag in the direction of use can be pushed to the output device on the tubular bag

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectGravity: Gravitation

Implementation Method 2

toothed rack guides and a foam sheathing to prevent tilting and allow the weight roller to overcome creases

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElastic deformation: Elasticity

Data Source

PatentEP3294660B1Fluid-dispenser for food service
Publication Date: 2019.02.27 ROBERT BOSCH GMBH
  • EP3294660B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP3294660B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP3294660B1 patent drawingFigure 5~6

AI summary

A fluid dispenser for the foodstuff supply sector has a dimensionally rigid housing (1) with viscous contents, wherein the fluid dispenser is designed to receive tubular bags which have a dispensing device (7) that is fitted or can be fitted on the tubular bag (2) itself and that permits metered dispensing of the contents. Moreover, the tubular bag (2) can be inserted and secured in a predetermined position in the fluid dispenser, and an auxiliary device is present with which the viscous contents located in the tubular bag can be continuously pushed in the direction of the dispensing device (7) on the tubular bag, by mechanical application of pressure to the tubular bag (2) in the position of use of the fluid dispenser. To secure the tubular bag (2) in the housing (1), a clamping device is present. The auxiliary device is a weighting roller (3) which is mounted between two lateral guides (5) in the housing (1) and which, in the position of use of the fluid dispenser, bears horizontally on the tubular bag (2) and, by means of its inherent weight, is able to push the viscous contents of the tubular bag continuously to the dispensing device (7) on the tubular bag. The auxiliary device additionally contains position-stabilizing means with which the horizontal bearing of the weighting roller on the tubular bag, in the position of use of the fluid dispenser, can be stabilized.